Scooter users follow dedicated friend’s loop round the Dales

Motor neurone disease sufferer Steve Higgins, who came from Halifax before moving to Bedfordshire, first completed the scenic Settle “Loop” round Settle in his mobility scooter in 2008, undaunted by the challenging terrain.

His persistence inspired members of the Disabled Ramblers charity to include the Dales among its annual rambles and its members have come back every year since.

Mr Higgins died last December aged 69.

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority access development officer Rachel Briggs, who helped organise this year’s memorial outing, remembers that first attempt: “He struggled to get round the Loop – we had to push him on a few occasions and his Tramper ran out of battery power so he had to free wheel back into Settle.

“Steve continued to come every year – it was his second home really – and he always brought a team of helpers, known as Team Higgi – a group of close friends and neighbours who supported him every year.”